When Zach Eshelman typed the words 鈥淟aw and Gospel鈥� into a search engine, he wasn鈥檛 expecting a life-changing theological pivot. But in God鈥檚 providence, that curious search marked the start of a journey that would eventually lead him to become Lutheran 鈥� and enter the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program at SA国际传媒.
Eshelman鈥檚 story is not one marked by dramatic conversion or sudden revelation. His story is the quiet and steady unfolding of faith 鈥� an unassuming but profound testimony of God鈥檚 work over time.
A Path Unplanned
Raised in a home where Christmas and Easter services were optional, Eshelman didn鈥檛 have any understanding of Christianity. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 really tell you anything about Christianity until midway through high school,鈥� he recalls. His comprehension of the Christian faith was a gradual process, influenced by friendships, teachers and a growing sense of spiritual inquisitiveness. 鈥淚 just realized at one point, 鈥極h, maybe I believe what my friends have been telling me.鈥欌��
His Baptism came in a small, Calvinist, non-denominational church plant meeting in a high school auditorium in rural Tucson, Ariz. At that point, he wasn鈥檛 aligned with a particular theology or denomination 鈥� just seeking to learn more about Christianity itself.
College became a key season in Eshelman鈥檚 faith development. During his first two years at a small school in Ohio, he encountered a uniquely diverse campus ministry group led by Christians from a broad spectrum of traditions: Southern Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Korean Pentecostal. It was enriching, if not chaotic. Amid the variety, Eshelman remained on a mission to deepen his understanding.
That pursuit led him to a large Bible church where he first encountered a typological reading of Leviticus 鈥� how the Law points to Christ. Intrigued but lacking vocabulary, he simply Googled 鈥淟aw and Gospel.鈥� The result? A host of Lutheran resources that opened a door he had not known existed.
鈥淭his distinction that Lutherans were using 鈥� it wasn鈥檛 necessarily unique to them, but it was their thing,鈥� he explains. That theological clarity resonated with him.
Discovering Lutheranism
A spring break visit to a Lutheran Bible study at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., became another turning point. The discussion focused on John 16 and the Lutheran view of the Sacraments, and it deeply resonated with Eshelman. Returning to his eclectic campus group and sharing the idea that 鈥淐hrist is present in the Sacraments,鈥� he was met with blank stares. 鈥淭hat was one of those moments where I realized, 鈥極h, Lutherans think differently on this 鈥� and I think the way Lutherans do.鈥欌��
Eshelman transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Although situated in the heart of Baptist country, he discovered a local LCMS church, St. Paul鈥檚 Lutheran Church, just outside of Waco. There, under the guidance of Vicar Peter Haugen, he continued to grow in his understanding of Lutheran distinctives. His connection to The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod (LCMS) deepened, even as he remained involved with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), appreciating its emphasis on liturgy and theology.
After graduation, Eshelman spent several years teaching, including two years at Concordia Middle School in Taiwan through the LCMS. There, he discovered a strong sense of vocational calling.
鈥淚 realized I鈥檓 a teacher,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hatever happens next, I鈥檓 going to be a teacher doing whatever they鈥檝e told me to do.鈥� That clarity has shaped his hopes for ministry, particularly in the context of campus work, international service or theological education.
Seminary and Formation
At SA国际传媒, Eshelman has found the kind of formation for which he was hoping. Unexpectedly, it is the language courses 鈥� Greek and Hebrew 鈥� that have had the deepest impact on him. 鈥淚 would argue that the language classes are some of the best pastoral care classes,鈥� he reflects. That insight comes after a full year studying under Dr. Philip Penhallegon, professor of Exegetical Theology, who would highlight minute details in the text. 鈥淗e would point out a little dot. 鈥楧o you see this little dot here? See how it changes the entire meaning of this word?鈥欌��
That kind of precision, Eshelman believes, extends far beyond grammar and syntax. 鈥淭his level of specificity is crucial for learning the languages,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut I鈥檇 argue it鈥檚 even more vital for the kind of soul care we鈥檙e expected to give. It teaches us to notice the little things like the way someone鈥檚 expression shifts slightly after hearing some news. In learning to read Scripture closely, we鈥檙e also learning to be present and attentive in real-life situations. And that presence, that attentiveness, is incredibly important.鈥�
As he looks toward the future, Eshelman is excited about possibilities that blend teaching and ministry. Campus ministry remains a dream, rooted in his own story of being evangelized by students and teachers in a public high school. 鈥淪chools have played such a big part in my becoming a Christian,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淚t would be amazing to be the one sharing the Gospel in those settings.鈥�
For those discerning a call to ministry or wondering whether the Seminary is the right path, Eshelman offers this perspective: 鈥淚f you have a small sense of it, the easiest way to go through that discernment process is to go farther 鈥� dive in and let God figure out what happens on the other side.鈥�
It is a fitting conclusion from someone whose own path to the Seminary started not with certainty, but with a question typed into a search bar.